Banknote container for automated teller machines

ABSTRACT

A banknote container for automated teller machines includes a base, two mutually parallel side walls, rear wall, front wall, cover and pressure-exerting slide, arranged in the bottom container part such that it can be adjusted parallel to the side walls. Arranged on the pressure-exerting slide is a switch for controlling a display device. The switching element interacts with a switch-actuating track provided on the container base, extends parallel to the adjustment direction of the pressure-exerting slide and defines a switching point between two switching states which corresponds to a remaining-quantity-signaling position of the pressure-exerting slide, one switching state corresponding to the adjustment path of the pressure-exerting slide between the remaining-quantity-signaling position and an end position near the rear wall, and the other switching state corresponding to the adjustment path of the pressure-exerting slide between the remaining-quantity-signaling position and an end position in the vicinity of the front wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a banknote container for automated tellermachines according to the preamble of claim 1. A banknote container ofthe type mentioned is known from DE 36 50 424 T2.

In order that automated teller machines do not have to shut down onaccount of a lack of money, it has to be possible to monitor the fillinglevel of the cash boxes. Generally, the application software of theautomated teller machine keeps a check on the supply of banknotes. Forthis purpose, it is necessary to input the initial filling quantities ofthe cash boxes or banknote containers, from which the money paid out issubtracted.

In many cases, the filling quantities are not input. On the other hand,however, it is intended to ensure that the automated teller machine iscapable of operating, in particular at weekends. DE 36 50 424 T2proposes a rod which is mounted in the banknote container and isdisplaced by a resilient tongue on the pressure-exerting slide when thesignaling position is reached, with the result that a contact which isarranged in front of the banknote container, and outside the same, isclosed. It is possible to adjust a stop on the rod for differentremaining-quantity presettings. However, the contact is not maintaineduntil the banknote container is fully emptied since the signaldisappears again when, upon further advancement of the pressure-exertingslide, the resilient tongue slides over the stop on the rod. Moreover,it is possible for the electrical storage of the signal to be lost whenoperation is interrupted, for example by the banknote container beingdrawn out of the automated teller machine.

It is known from DE 38 31 658 A1 to arrange a reed switch in front ofthe front wall of the banknote container and outside said container,while, in the bank note container, a permanent magnet is fastened on thepressure-exerting slide in order to actuate the reed switch when thepressure-exerting slide approaches the front wall. The disadvantage withthis solution is the imprecise signal as a result of the differentmagnetic field strength of the permanent magnets and the differentresponse sensitivity of the reed contact, the short range, which onlyallows a small remaining quantity, and the inability to adjust todifferent remaining quantities for which the signal is to be given.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to design a banknote container of thetype specified in the preamble of claim 1 such that, even withrelatively large quantities remaining, a reliable and precise signal canbe given and, even with continued operation of the bank note container,this signal is maintained until the container is refilled again.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the featuresspecified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

In the solution according to the invention, the switching element is incontact with the switch-actuating track over the entire displacementpath of the pressure-exerting slide. At the switching point, which isformed for example by a step in the switch-actuating track, theswitching state of the switch changes, with the result that, at thispoint, a signal can be displayed on the display device. Since thechanged switching state is maintained until even the last banknote hasbeen withdrawn and the pressure-exerting slide has reached its endposition in the vicinity of the front wall, the signal is maintainedirrespective of the position of the pressure-exerting slide, to beprecise even when operation is interrupted, for example by the box beingdrawn out of the automated teller machine. Furthermore, the solutionaccording to the invention can also be used if relatively largequantities remain.

The switch is preferably a microswitch with a pivoting lever forming theswitching element, it being possible for said lever to bear a rollerwhich butts against the switch-actuating track. It is also possible,however, for the switch to be formed by a fork-type light barrier, ofwhich the light path can be interrupted by the adjustable switchingelement. In a further embodiment, the switch is formed by a Hall-effectsensor which is assigned a permanent magnet arranged on the adjustableswitching element.

In order for it to be possible to adjust, in accordance with therequirements in each case, the remaining quantity for which a signal isto be given, it is expedient if it is possible to adjust the switchingpoint along the switch-actuating track. The switch is preferablyarranged on the pressure-exerting slide and has a switching elementwhich can be deflected perpendicularly to the banknote container, theswitch-actuating track being provided on the banknote container andhaving two track sections at different distances from thepressure-exerting slide. In order to prevent the switching element fromcatching on the step between the two track sections, the latter areexpediently connected to one another by a switching ramp.

In order to make adjustment of the switching point possible in theabovementioned embodiment, the invention proposes that a groove isformed in the container base, in the path of the switching element, andits base forms a first track section, and that guided in the groove is aslide which partially covers said groove and of which the top side formsat least part of the second track section. In this solution, on the onehand, the planar base on which the banknotes can be displaced in a statein which they stand on edge is maintained. On the other hand, saidsolution gives the two track sections of the switch-actuating trackwhich are separated from one another by a step, it being possible forthe step to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of theswitch-actuating track.

Neither a gap nor a step which influences the switching state of theswitch must be produced between the slide and the track sectionadjoining the same in the direction of the rear wall of the container.This can be achieved in that the slide—as seen in cross section—has ahat profile and is guided on a rib which extends into the groove andcontinues the track section adjoining the rear wall of the container.This guidance allows the slide to be designed with a very thin top side,with the result that the resulting step, which cannot be avoidedaltogether, is still within the tolerance range of the switching path ofthe switching element.

The slide can expediently be latched in different positions, it beingpossible to assign said latching positions a measuring scale which isarranged on the container base, with the result that an operator canmove the slide into a latching position corresponding to a certainremaining quantity.

The pressure-exerting slide is expediently adjusted by an actuatingdrive with an electric motor which is arranged on the pressure-exertingslide and drives gearwheels which are mounted on said slide and by meansof which the pressure-exerting slide is guided on racks which extendparallel to the side walls of the container.

The actuating drive can be controlled in that a pressure-exerting plate,which forms the pressure-exerting surface, is mounted on a frame part ofthe pressure-exerting slide such that it can be pivoted about a pinparallel to the front wall and the container base, and it is prestressedaway from the frame part, and in that arranged on the pressure-exertingslide is a switch which controls the actuating drive and can be actuatedby a pivoting movement of the pressure-exerting plate. If, when thepressure-exerting slide moves in the direction of the banknote stack,the pressure-exerting plate approaches the frame part because thebanknote stack cannot be displaced any further, then this actuates theswitch and switches off the actuating drive. If the banknote stack canbe displaced again by banknotes being withdrawn, then thepressure-exerting plate is relieved of loading and moves away from theframe part. As a result, the switch is actuated again and the actuatingdrive is switched on again.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description explains the invention with reference to anexemplary embodiment in conjunction with the attached drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through the front sectionof a banknote container according to the invention, the longitudinalsection being taken parallel to the side walls of said banknotecontainer, FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the container base inthe region of the switch-actuating track along line II-II in FIG. 3, andFIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of part of the container base with asection of the switch- actuating track.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The banknote container illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a bottomcontainer part 10 with a container base 12, side walls 14, of which onlyone is illustrated in FIG. 1, a front wall 16 and a rear wall, which isarranged at the opposite end of the bottom container part 10 and is notillustrated in FIG. 1. The bottom container part 10 is closed by a cover18.

The container, serves for accommodating a stack of banknotes 20 whichstand on edge on the container base 12 and are pushed in the directionof the front wall 16 by a pressure-exerting slide designated in generalterms by 22. Formed in the front wall 16 is an opening 24 which can beclosed by a swing-action screen 26 and serves for the engagement of thewithdrawing rollers 28, 30 of a separating device of the automatedteller machine when the banknote container has been pushed into thesame. The banknote container described thus far is known per se and thusneed not be explained.

The pressure-exerting slide 22 comprises a frame part 32 which ismounted, via gearwheels 34, on racks 36 which are arranged along theside walls 14 of the bottom container part 10. The gearwheels 34 aredriven by a stepping motor 38 which is connected, via a trailing cable40, to a control means and power supply (not illustrated).

A pressure-exerting plate 42 is mounted on the frame part 32 such thatit can be pivoted about a pin 44 parallel to the front wall 16 and thecontainer base 12. The pressure-exerting plate 42 is kept at a distancefrom the frame part 32 by a spring 46. Provided on the frame part 32 andthe pressure-exerting plate 42 are switching contacts 48, 50 which areassigned to one another and, in the case of contact, actuate a switchwhich brings the stepping motor 38 to a standstill. This switch controlsthe movement of the pressure-exerting slide 22.

Also arranged on the frame part 32 is a microswitch 52, of which theswitching lever 56, which is provided with a roller 54, can be adjustedbetween a position represented by solid lines and a position representedby chain-dotted lines. The roller of the switching lever 54 interactswith a switch-actuating track which is designated in general terms by58, extends parallel to the movement direction of the pressure-exertingslide 22 and has a first track section 60, which is aligned with the topside of the base, and a second track section 62, which is lower than thefirst track section and is formed by the base of a channel or groove 64.

The length of the track sections 60 and 62 can be adjusted. For thispurpose, use is made of a slide 66 which, according to FIG. 2, has a hatprofile with a longitudinal web 68 and two legs 70 which areperpendicular to said longitudinal web and are adjoined, in turn, bywebs 72 which are bent outward at right angles. The slide 66 is guidedon a rib 74 which extends into the groove 64 over part of the same andof which the height is dimensioned such that the surface of the slide 66is aligned with the inner surface of the container base 12, as can beseen in FIGS. 1 and 2. At its free end, the slide has an oblique surface76 which serves as a switching ramp. A latching protrusion 79 is formedon a resilient tongue 78 which belongs to the slide and adjoins theoblique surface 76 in the rearward direction, it being possible for saidlatching protrusion to engage in latching depressions 80 which areformed in the base of the groove 64. It is thus possible for the slide66 to be displaced on the guide rib 74, as is indicated in FIG. 1 by thedifferent positions represented by solid lines or chain-dotted lines.

The switch 52 is connected to a display device (not illustrated). Theoblique surface 76 on the slide 66 defines a switching point at whichthe switching lever 56 transfers from the position represented bychain-dotted lines in FIG. 1 to the position represented by solid linesin FIG. 1 when the pressure-exerting slide 22 moves in the direction ofthe front wall 16. Since said switching point corresponds to a certainposition of the pressure-exerting slide 22 within the container, it ispossible to display, as a result of said switch actuation, the quantityof banknotes still remaining between the front wall 16 and thepressure-exerting plate 42 of the pressure-exerting slide 22. By virtueof the slide 66 being displaced, it is possible for the switching pointto be shifted in the forward or rearward direction and thus for theremaining quantity for which a signal appears on the display device tobe determined. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the desiredremaining quantity, in the embodiment illustrated, a measuring scale 82is applied to the top side of the guide rib 74, said measuring scaleinteracting with the trailing edge 84 of the slide 66.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the track section 60 of the switch-actuatingtrack 58 likewise has a slight depression following the trailing edge 84of the slide 66. However, the thickness of the web 68 of the slide 66,and thus the depression, is sufficiently small for a resulting movementof the switching lever 56 on the switch 52 not to result in actuation ofthe same.

The conventional banknote containers usually have, on their outside, aconnector which comes into contact with a mating connector of theautomated teller machine when the banknote container is pushed into theautomated teller machine. It is also possible for the connection of theswitch 52 to the display device to be routed via said connector, withthe result that the banknote box according to the invention can also bepushed into conventional automated banking machines.

What is claimed is:
 1. A banknote container for automated tellermachines, comprising an essentially cuboidal bottom container part (10)which is intended for accommodating banknotes and has a base (12), twomutually parallel side walls (14), a rear wall and a front wall (16),which has a closable opening (24) for the withdrawal of individualbanknotes (20) by means of a separating device (28, 30) of the automatedteller machine, and also comprising a cover (18), which can be locked tothe bottom container part (10), and a pressure-exerting slide (22),which has a pressure-exerting surface (42) which is essentially parallelto the front wall (16), is arranged in the bottom container part (10)such that the pressure-exerting surface can be adjusted parallel to theside walls (14), and interacts with a switch (52) to control a displaydevice, characterized in that the switch (52) is arranged on thepressure-exerting slide (22) and has a switching element (56) which canbe deflected perpendicularly to the container base (12) and interactswith a switch-actuating track (58) which is formed on the container base(12), extends parallel to the adjustment direction of thepressure-exerting slide (22) and defines a switching point between twoswitching states which corresponds to a remaining-quantity-signalingposition of the pressure-exerting slide (22), one switching statecorresponding to the adjustment path of the pressure-exerting slide (22)between the remaining-quantity-signaling position and an end position inthe vicinity of the rear wall, and the other switching statecorresponding to the adjustment path of the pressure-exerting slide (22)between the remaining-quantity-signaling position and an end position inthe vicinity of the front wall (16).
 2. The banknote container asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is possible to adjust theswitching point along the switch-actuating track (58).
 3. The banknotecontainer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that theswitch-actuating track (58) has two track sections (60, 62) at differentdistances from the pressure-exerting slide (22).
 4. The banknotecontainer as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the two tracksections (60, 62) are connected by a switching ramp (76).
 5. Thebanknote container as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a groove(64) is formed in the container base (12), in the path of the switchingelement (56), and the container base forms a first track section (62),and in that guided in an adjustable manner in the groove (64) is a slide(66) which partially covers said groove and of which the top side (68)forms at least part of the second track section (60).
 6. The banknotecontainer as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the slide (66)has a hat profile and is guided on a rib (74) which extends into thegroove (64).
 7. The banknote container as claimed in claim 5,characterized in that the slide (66) can be latched in differentpositions.
 8. The banknote container as claimed in claim 5,characterized in that the slide (66) is assigned a measuring scale (82)which is arranged on the banknote container (12).
 9. The banknotecontainer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the switch (52)is a microswitch with a pivoting lever (56) forming the switchingelement.
 10. The banknote container as claimed in claim 1, characterizedin that the switch is a light barrier, of which the light path can beinterrupted by the adjustable switching element.
 11. The banknotecontainer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the switch isformed by a Hall-effect sensor which is assigned a permanent magnetarranged on the adjustable switching element.
 12. The banknote containeras claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure-exerting slide(22) bears an electric motor (38) which drives gearwheels (34) which aremounted on the pressure-exerting slide (22) and by means of which thepressure-exerting slide (22) is guided on racks (36) which extendparallel to the side walls (14).
 13. The banknote container as claimedin claim 1, characterized in that a pressure-exerting plate (42), whichforms the pressure-exerting surface, is mounted on a frame part (32) ofthe pressure-exerting slide (22) such that the pressure-exerting platecan be pivoted about a pin (44) parallel to the front wall (16) and thecontainer base (12), and the pressure-exerting plate is prestressed awayfrom the frame part (32), and in that arranged on the pressure-exertingslide (22) is a switch which controls the actuating drive and can beactuated by a pivoting movement of the pressure-exerting plate (42).